Retorts

Science and Recreation

It would be fair to both Michael Hamblyn [Retorts, April 1992] and the editor to point out that her "tiny local library" is a volunteer-run and self-supporting community library and the "lady behind the counter" is not a professional librarian.

Had the editor intended to attack libraries in her March editorial, she chose the wrong target.

However, I understand the theme to have been "science as recreation" and I do question whether, given the circumstances, the encounter described is worthy of extrapolation into the rather grander concept of science issues being relegated to some serious "reference-only" non-recreational area of life. And who is to say whether recreational is "better" than reference reading, or what the difference is?

The days of the amateur scientist may have largely passed (except in the case of disciplines where observation and data collection are of first importance) but analysis of public library statistics of borrowing from Dewey classification numbers 500 and 600 might well hearten the editor, who must surely believe there is an interest in science to have launched the NZSM.

In support of library and science,

Trish Faulkner, Librarian, Forest Research Institute, Christchurch